Costa Smeralda

Costa Smeralda cruise ship is from the new Helios-class vessels ordered by Carnival Corporation. The shiporder agreement with Meyer Werft was signed in July 2015 and included construction of all 4 new cruise ships. The contract was finalized in April 2016. Of these 4 vessels, 2 are for Costa Cruises and the other 2 for AIDA Cruises (Carnival's German brand). Sisterships in the AIDA fleet are AIDAnova (2018 fall) and a still unnamed ship (scheduled launch 2021 spring).

History - construction and ownership

Costa Cruises is a Genoa-headquartered subsidiary company owned by Carnival Corporation. Costa is Europe's second largest cruise line (after MSC) with year-round operations in the Mediterranean. Costa was founded in 1854 as cargo shipping company. It started passenger shipping services in 1947, with regular Transatlantic crossings between Europe (Italy) and South America. In 2000, Costa Cruises was acquired by Carnival Corporation (shipowner).

• The new Costa ships were scheduled for delivery in 2019 (Smeralda) and 2020 (still unnamed sister-ship). Costa cruise liners were built in Turku Finland, AIDA's - in Papenburg Germany.
• Each vessel has gross tonnage of 183,000 tons, over 2600 cabins, double-occupancy passenger capacity 5200 (max 6600) and crew capacity around 700.
• Ship's design features more efficient use of both indoor and open-deck spaces, with several multi-functional areas. Deck 16 is the activity deck with a water slide, water park, high rope garden, mini golf. The pool deck is covered with retractable glass roof. The Beach Club (adults only complex) is beneath the glass roof and features an activity area with 2 waterslides, rock climbing wall, sports deck area. This deck also has a giant LED wall for movies and other outdoor video entertainment. The ship has dedicated club lounges for teens and kids, including for toddlers.
• The ship's panoramic glass elevators also connect the outdoor areas. There is a 45-m above water level located glass-bottomed skywalk, huge wellness complex (Organic Spa and Fitness), plaza with numerous bars and shops, Atrium Lobby lounge (meeting place with stage for street performers), large-capacity Theater (show lounge).
• The new ships for Costa and AIDA are the industry's first fully LNG-powered cruise vessels, generating all of the onboard and propulsion power from LNG (abbrev Liquefied Natural Gas) - both in ports and at sea.
• With the new liners, Costa Group had a fleet of 7 ships on order. This brand new fleet has total capacity 41,000 berths. In comparison, the combined total capacity of Costa's fleet is 110,000 berths.

The 4-vessel contract was part of a previously announced larger shipbuilding order with Fincantieri (Italy) and Meyer Werft for all 9 new vessels with scheduled deliveries between 2019 and 2022.

Managed by Costa Group, the Costa and AIDA combinjed fleet is Europe's largest. In 2014, one out of every two cruise ship tourists in Europe sailed on either AIDA or Costa ship. In 2015, Costa Group had 20 offices in 14 countries, around 27,000 shipbard employees and total passenger capacity of over 68,000 berths (across the combined fleet). Costa Group also is the leader on China's rapidly growing cruise market in Asia.

Besides the ship's staff and crew, Costa cruise passengers are also served by Peper robots - latest cyborg technology implemented fleetwide in 2016. These humanoid robots greet and guide passengers upon embarkation. They also assist them throughout the cruise by providing information and tips on onboard dining, entertainment, enrichment program (workshops, pre-scheduled events), casino and shopping promotions, shore excursions and tours. Pepper robots are mobile and communicate in 3 languages (English, German, Italian). They can also interpret human emotions by analyzing voice tones and face expressions.

Cruise itinerary program

Costa Smeralda itinerary program is based on 7-day Western Mediterranean cruises leaving roundtrip from the Italian homeports Rome-Civitavecchia, Savona, Barcelona, Marseille. To be able to handle the large cruise liner, Port Savona's terminal had to be modified. The list of the 7-day itinerary's ports of call also includes La Spezia (Italy) and Palma de Mallorca (Majorca, Spain).

Cabins

Staterooms (designed by Dordoni Architetti) are decorated depending on deck (city theme). For all passenger cabins were contracted Italian companies to provide their furniture (Molteni and C, Roda), lighting (Flos), fabrics and upholstery (Dedar and Rubelli). Among the Italian brand suppliers are Kartell, Poltrona Frau, Alessi.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The ship has 11 restaurants - including Teppanyaki, Pummid’Oro Pizzeria, Tutti a Tavola (family, with live entertainment activities) and Laboratorio del Gusto (Taste Lab, with create-your-own dinner options).

• On September 6, 2017, was the vessel's steel-cutting ceremony held at Meyer Turku shipyard in Perno Finland. The Smeralda ship was scheduled for delivery in October 2019. A sister-ship follows in 2021.
• In February 2018, the shipbuilder Meyer Turku contracted ALMACO Group to supply the liner's galley equipment. This deal was the company's first contract with Costa Cruises and also its largest cruise ship galley equipment order. ALMACO Group is a full-service provider of marine vessel cabins (passengers and crew living quarters), wet units, galleys (kitchens), provision stores.
• The liner's namesake among cruiseferries is Cruise Smeralda (1997, GRIMALDI LINES).
• Liner's decks are named after famous Italian cities - from Palermo (deck 4) to Trieste (deck 20), The “heart” of the ship is "Colosseo" - midship show lounge (on 3 levels) featuring large LED screens on its walls and dome. Also new for the fleet is Costa Design Museum - sized 400 m2 and curated by Matteo Vercelloni (Italian designer and architect).
• On July 4, 2018, at Meyer Turku was held the traditional coin ceremony, during which commemorative coins were positioned along the keel for good fortune. Ceremony's godmother was Elisabetta Moraci (28-year-old, serving Costa Cruises as Second Deck Officer).

Inaugural cruise 2019 itineraries

Ship's Inaugural cruise (maiden voyage) was scheduled for October 20, 2019 (15-day repositioning itinerary from Hamburg to Savona). The christening ceremony will be held in Savona (Italy) on November 3. Follows (November 4) a 6-day itinerary from Savona to Barcelona, Marseille and Civitavecchia.

• The official (available for booking) Inaugural cruise is on November 8. The 6-day itinerary is roundtrip from Rome-Civitavecchia to Savona (Nov 9), Marseille (Nov 10), Barcelona (Nov 11) and Palma de Mallorca (Nov 12). Prices started from USD 590 pp (Inside cabin rates).
• Costa Smeralda will be operated with 7-day Western Mediterranean cruises (through April 2020.

Next are shown the ship's maiden voyages (shorter itineraries) with prices per person (double-occupancy Interior Cabin rates).

5-day roundtrip from Savona - prices from USD 480 pp

6-day roundtrip from Rome - prices from USD 590 pp

7-day Inaugural roundtrip from Savona - prices from USD 700 pp

Godspeed to the new ship!